orchid family

American  

noun

1. the plant family Orchidaceae, characterized by terrestrial or epiphytic herbaceous plants having simple, parallel-veined, usually alternate leaves, complex and often large and showy flowers pollinated primarily by insects, and fruit in the form of a capsule containing numerous minute seeds, and including calypso, fringed orchis, lady's-slipper, pogonia, rattlesnake plantain, vanilla, as well as numerous tropical orchids such as those of the genera Cattleya, Cymbidium, Dendrobium, Phalaenopsis, and Vanda.

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Example Sentences

The pleasant and sweet smell of this classic flavor is imparted by the chemical compound 'vanillin' found in the seed pods of vanilla plants belonging to the orchid family.

From Science Daily

However, the orchid family, known as Orchidaceae, is the largest flowering plant family on earth, with more than 20,000 species.

From Washington Times

Diversity is key to the orchid family’s appeal.

From Washington Post

In a world of the moth orchid, “people are not grasping that the orchid family contains over 20,000 species and they grow everywhere, except in the Arctic,” McLaughlin said.

From Washington Post

The orchid family is one of the richest in the plant kingdom, with flower and plants in vastly different sizes, forms and colors.

From Washington Post